Preparation of STM (Scanning Tunneling Microscopy) Tips for In-Situ Characterization of Electrode Surfaces

The total current between the tip and the sample in a scanning tunneling microscopy study of a solid/liquid interface can be dominated by faradaic charge transfer currents. In such a situation feedback control of the tunneling gap, and imaging, is precluded. In this contribution we describe the prep...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Heber, Michael J, Dovek, Moris M, Lewis, Nathan S, Penner, Reginald M, Quate, Calvin F
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
CHARGE TRANSFER
CONTROL
CURRENTS
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
ELECTRODES
EXPOSURE(GENERAL)
FARADAY EFFECT
FEEDBACK
GLASS
INTERFACES
LIQUIDS
METALS
MICROSCOPY
Physical Chemistry
PREPARATION
SCANNING
SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY
SOLIDS
SURFACES
Test Facilities, Equipment and Methods
TUNNELING
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Summary:The total current between the tip and the sample in a scanning tunneling microscopy study of a solid/liquid interface can be dominated by faradaic charge transfer currents. In such a situation feedback control of the tunneling gap, and imaging, is precluded. In this contribution we describe the preparation of glass or polymer coated STM tips that possess 100 A2 of exposed metal. These tips effectively discriminate against faradaic current and enable STM imaging in the presence of reversible electroactive solution species at appreciable tip/sample biases. Electrochemistry, Tip preparation.